A-frame ladders are popular for workers who need to reach relatively high locations above the ground or floor level for performing construction and maintenance chores, both on a work site and in the home. It is often desirable while the worker is on the ladder for the worker to have access to tools, parts and work supplies that are needed during the performance of his duties or chores. It is often desirable while the worker is on the ladder to have a structure that prevents the worker from climbing onto the very top platform of the A-frame ladder, which is extremely dangerous and prohibited by many safety codes, or from placing tools and supplies on the top platform, which is dangerous to anyone standing below the ladder.
Many devices have been invented over the years that attach to ladders to hold tools, parts and work supplies so that they are easily accessible to the worker while he is standing on or otherwise using the ladder. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,480,810, 5,123,620, 5,259,480 and 5,584,357 all describe accessory holders for ladders. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,810, the accessory holder attaches to a rung of the ladder and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,620, the accessory holder attaches to the top platform of a ladder, but does not prevent a user from stepping on the top platform. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,357, the accessory holder attaches to the top platform, but is raised high above the top step so that a user could still climb to the top platform. U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,480 describes an accessory holder that directly sits on the top platform and expands the work area of the top platform for storing and attaching tools. It does not, however, completely prevent a user from climbing to the top platform and does not provide deep storage containers for tools and accessories.
An advantage of the present invention is that it provides an improved accessory container suitable for use with an A-frame ladder that fits over the top of the A-frame ladder and prevents a person from climbing to the top platform of the ladder or from placing tools and accessories on the top platform.